MagooshEssayRubricfortheGRE&GMAT

Score

2
1

QualityofIdeas

Organization

WritingStyle

Insightfullydevelopsa
positiononatopicor
argumentwithcompelling,
persuasiveexamplesand
reasons

Aclearorganizationalstructure
withalogicalprogression,linking
ideastosupportingpointsfrom
starttofinish,fromparagraphto
paragraphandsentenceto
sentence

Awidevarietyofsentence
structuresandlengths,
showingasuperiorcontrolof
wordchoicewithaclear,
concisestyle

Showsasuperiorcontrolof
writing,withimpeccable
grammar,mechanics,and
usageyetmayhaveafew
minor,nonrepeatederrors

A6responseisaprecise,
wellarticulatedanalysisofthe
complexitiesoftheissueor
argument,anddemonstrates
masteryoftheelementsofeffective
writing.

Developsapositionona
topicorargumentwith
wellchosenexamplesand
reasons

Awellorganizedstructurewitha
progressionofideas,linking
ideastosupportingpointsfrom
starttofinish

Varietyinsentence
structures,showingcontrol
ofwordchoicewithaclear
style

Showsacontroloflanguage,
withstronggrammar,
mechanics,andusageyet
mayhaveafewminorerrors

A5responseisawelldeveloped
analysisofthecomplexitiesofthe
issueanddemonstratesastrong
controloftheelementsofeffective
writing.

Developsapositionona
topicorargumentwith
relevantexamplesand
reasons

Some,tolittle,varietyin
Organizedwithsomeprogression sentencestructure,showing
ofideas,linkingideasand
adequatecontrolofword
Showscontrolofstandard
supportingpointswithsome
choicewithan
Englishbutcontainssome
consistency
inconsistentlyclearstyle
flaws

Developsavagueorlimited
positiononatopicor
argumentwithfewexamples Poorlyorganizedwithunclear
orreasonsofquestionable linksbetweenideasand
importance
supportingpoints

Grammar&Usage

Summary

A4responseisacompetent
analysisoftheissueand
demonstratesadequatecontrolof
theelementsofwriting.

Showssomelackofcontrolin
grammar,mechanicsand
usage,containingoccasional
majorflawswithmorefrequent
minorflaws

A3responsehassome
competenceinitsanalysisofthe
issueandinitscontrolofthe
elementsofwritingbutisclearly
flawed.

Seriousandfrequent
Ideasonatopicorargument Disorganizedandprovidesfew,if problemswithwordchoice
areunclearorseriously
any,relevantlinksbetweenideas andsentencestructure,
limited
andexamples
showingalackofstyle

Showsalackofcontrolin
grammar,mechanics,and
usage,containingnumerous,
repeatederrors

A2responsehasserious
weaknessesinanalyticalwriting.

Provideslittleevidenceof
theabilitytodevelopa
positioninresponsetoa
topicorargument

Showsacompletelackof
controlingrammar,
mechanics,andusage,making A1responsehasfundamental
theessayunreadableand
deficienciesinanalyticalwriting
incomprehensible
skills.

Completelyofftopic,blank,
ornotwritteninEnglish

Noorganizationorlogic,
containingirrelevantdetailsand
exampleswithlittletono
distinctionbetweenthetwo

Alacksentencevariety,
showingimpreciseuseof
wordchoicewithan
inconsistent,wordystyle

Severeandpersistenterrors
inwordchoice,language,
andsentencestructure,
showingnorealstyle

Entirelackofstructure,blank,or
notwritteninEnglish
BlankornotinEnglish

Blankresponse,notwrittenin
English,ornoregardfor
Englishgrammar,mechanics
andusage

A0responsehasacompletelack
ofanalyticalwritingskills.